How can prasadam be spiritual if I can touch it? How can an institution be spiritual if it has imperfections?

If we send prasadam it to a laboratory, they will give a list of the material ingredients that constitute it, like protein, carbs, fats and so on. However, at the same time, it has a spiritual quality

Is prasadam material or spiritual? Well, if we send it to a laboratory, they will give a list of the material ingredients that constitute it, like protein, carbs, fats and so on. If one eats it, it will nourish his body, just like any other food. However, at the same time, it has a spiritual quality that helps us to purify ourselves and understand our relationship with Krsna. Srila Prabhupada uses the word "spiritualized". Prasadam is not fully spiritual (otherwise we would not be able to perceive it), but it is spiritualized due to the touch of Krsna. It's just like a bar of fire that is put into the fire and becomes red-hot. It doesn't stop being metal, but at the same time it acquires the quality of fire and can burn.

The fact that food is offered to Krsna will also not nullify it's material qualities. A salty preparation will continue being salty and a sweet one will continue being sweet. One who has diabetes or other health conditions will have to be selective with which types of prasadam he eats, just like he would do with normal foods. It's not because something was offered to Krsna it will stop elevating his glucose levels.

Prasadam can also go bad if we leave it outside the fridge, and when it does, it can cause digestive problems, just like any other food. In this way, prasadam has a dual nature: at the same time it works like any ordinary food, but at the same time it has a spiritual quality that is unique.

Pure devotees can often eat spoiled prasadam without suffering any negative consequences. Srila Raghunatha Dasa was eating spoiled rice from the prasadam of Lord Jagannatha that even cows couldn't eat. When one has full faith on prasadam, he can eat anything, and it will not cause any harm, because he will tune-up with the spiritual quality. However, for most of us there is still the need of being selective, otherwise we can get digestive problems like anyone else.

Similarly, the body of a pure devotee is still composed of material elements, but at the same time it becomes spiritualized due to his service to Krsna. It is not directly spiritual (otherwise he would not be able to interact with us) but it is spiritualized, because it's being used for Krsna. We can say that the body of a pure devotee is technically composed of material elements, but is working in practice as a spiritual body, because it is being used in service of Krsna. The body of a pure devotee is thus still susceptible to material conditions like diseases, but this is ultimately not important, because such imperfections doesn't prevent the owner of using it to Krsna. A materialistic person may feel disturbed by the material imperfections of the body of a pure devotee, but elevated Vaishnavas understand the value of his association.

Similarly, our whole institution is like a material body that is spiritualized due to being used for Krsna. When we examine our institution under mater optics we will find many material imperfections, such as politics, the pride of some of its members and so on. Just as a material body, our institution is composed of material assets, like temples, money, vehicles and also people who may not be exactly in the highest level of love for Godhead.

However, what is important are not such material aspects, but the fact that the institution is used to serve Krsna. There are many institutions and companies in the world, but they are not used to serve Krsna. Because of this quality, our institution is spiritualized. It is still composed of material elements and is susceptible to material imperfections, but because it is being used for Krsna it becomes spiritualized, just like in the example of the metal bar in the fire.

Iskcon, as an institution, has thus two aspects: the material aspect and the spiritual aspects. According to our consciousness and attitude, we can deal with one side, the other, or a mixture of both. People who are in material consciousness will see only the politics and other faults, while people who are transcendental will see the service to Krsna. Most of us will see a mixture of both things, and it is up to us to choose what side we want to focus on.

Another point is that, despite all the imperfections, Lord Caitanya can still use it to spread Krsna consciousness around the world. Imperfect people, as well as different material assets, are thus used to accomplish a perfect mission. People come to our institution or to other Vaishnava groups with so many different motives. Not everyone is a pure devotee. However, they are still used to perform some work that is useful for the mission. In the end, despite all the faults, the job of spreading Krsna Consciousness is done, and each one gets what he is looking for. Devotees who are sincere go back to Godhead and the ones who are interested in fame, money or power may also get these things.

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